It makes sense to upgrade your light bulbs when you inevitably have to replace them. Light bulb technology has changed a lot over the years, but there hasn’t been anything that hasn’t made total sense. Getting away from harmful light and utilizing safer and effective lighting has been one advancement. The other is smart light bulbs.
In order to work with smart bulbs, you’ll need items like smart home devices. You’ll be able to schedule your lighting as well as talk to it with certain devices hooked up to it. This will give you the lighting you want with the best ways to access it. You don’t even have to be home to turn your lights on. Almost anything can be controlled differently. Nowadays, it isn’t just simply flicking a light switch up or down. We’ve highlighted some of the best smart light bulbs on the market to show you how to turn your home into a smarter one and help you thrive.
Best Overall Smart Light Bulbs: Philips Hue Smart Light Bulb
Pros: Compatible with many voice-activated devices, long-lasting
Cons: Requires a hub to automatically schedule
The Philips Hue White 2-Pack A19 LED Smart Bulb is a super-intuitive smart bulb that’s compatible with a variety of different voice-activated devices like Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s also Bluetooth-enabled and Zigbee-friendly, giving you a plethora of options for you to sync up your bulbs in total unison. Thanks to the free Hue Bluetooth-enabled App for your smartphone, you can add up to 10 Hue Bluetooth/Zigbee smart bulbs to a single device.
You can also purchase the Hue Hub (sold separately) to control up to 50 light bulbs at a time. You’ll also need a hub in order to automatically schedule the lights, which can be a deterrent for some people. For voice control, you can use Philips Hue Bluetooth smart lighting directly with your voice using Alexa or Google Assistant. It also works with all Echo smart speakers, displays, and Google Nest devices. They’re also super long-lasting, with a guaranteed lifespan of 22 years or 25,000 hours.
Best Color Changing Smart Light Bulbs: Peteme Smart WiFi Alexa Light Bulb
Pros: Come in 16 million colors, energy-efficient
Cons: Not as bright as others
If you’re looking for a powerful smart bulb featuring a multitude of eye-popping colors, this Smart LED Light Bulb from Peteme is an excellent choice. These 7W 600lm smart bulbs with an E26 base save around 80 percent more energy than a 75W traditional bulb. They can last around 27,000 hours or close to 25 years. They’re also completely voice-controlled, as they’re compatible with a variety of different smart devices like the Alexa Echo, Echo Dot, Google Home Assistant, and IFTTT. Being able to control them with your voice makes them that much easier to use.
To make it even easier, you can download the free “Smart Life” app to control all of the bulbs with a single command on your smart device. These versatile bulbs come in 16 million colors, making them great for your home, a bar, or for a party. Each color can be dimmed as well, allowing you total control over your entire lighting setup. The brightness could be better. But these have a nice discount right now.
Best Outdoor Smart Bulb: Sengled Smart Flood Light Bulbs
Pros: Voice-activated, senses movement within a 100-degree field
Cons: Your Wi-Fi signal needs to be good if you don’t use a hub
For a smart bulb strictly for the outdoors, the Sengled Smart Flood Light Bulbs is a great alternative. Whether it’s for your front porch, deck, or even just the side of your house, these bulbs will illuminate the outside of your home and make it easier for guests, family members, and any other visitors to see your home. These lights are compatible with a variety of hubs like the Sengled Smart Hub, as well as all SmartThings, Alexa, and Google Assistant devices.
In addition to voice-activated controls, these smart bulbs also feature a motion detection system. The bulb will automatically light up for 90 seconds when it detects motion from up to 30 feet and the built-in wide-angle detection senses movement within a generous 100-degree field of vision. These bulbs are also super easy to install and are water-resistant and weatherproof, allowing you to place them outside without worry. Because it’s outside, your Wi-Fi will need to be good if you don’t want to use a hub. A hub can make your use of these easier, but it comes with an extra cost.
Best Value: meross Smart WiFi LED Bulbs
Pros: Comes in multiple quantities, reliable connection to Wi-Fi
Cons: Pairing can be spotty at times
If you’re looking to save some money to stick within a budget, the meross Smart WiFi LED Bulbs is a great selection. This has voice controls that are compatible with Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Google Assistant, and SmartThings. It works with any 2.4GHz or Dual-Band Wi-Fi router. You’ll be able to schedule in advance for when you want it to go off.
It also saves you a ton of energy on your electric bill, as it is efficient. Only 9W of energy is consumed during use. This has multiple RGB colors that allow you to adjust it from white to cool to color. Setting the brightness is simple. Pairing isn’t the easiest thing with these. But the value can’t be understated.
Best Features: Kasa Smart Light Bulbs
Pros: Many colors and warms and cools, lets you monitor real-time energy use
Cons: Works best with TP-Link products strictly
The Kasa Smart Light Bulbs lets you explore endless possibilities. You can create your favorite effects as you’re using these. Find the right lighting for parties and studying. They are trusted and reliable, as they are used by over 6 million people. There are 16 million colors, allowing you to warm or cool to fit the mood.
You can control it from your Kasa smart app and monitor the energy in real-time. These can also be controlled with your voice. Scheduling your lights is simple as well. Turning on away mode will trick people into thinking you’re home when you aren’t. These have 1,000 lumens per bulb. In order to get the most out of these, you should have other TP-Link Kasa products.
